Church halls - booking

See also the plan of the church and halls. For bookings
please call the Parish Office 8852 1205. Please have a look at these
Guidance Notes before you call the office.

Guidance Note for Users of St Michael’s Church Halls

General

St Michael’s Halls form part of the church buildings. Hall users are
asked to be sensitive to the fact that there may be other church events,
services, or meetings going on at the same time.

The Halls have a strict Health & Safety and Child Protection Policies
which must be followed by hirers.

Hirers of the Halls are responsible for managing their group or
activity in such a way that ensures that everyone is safe.
We strongly recommend all hirers have their own insurance and
that organisers of any activity involving children are CRB checked.

Halls and Rooms for hire - Summary

Main Hall

(40x 40 feet/12x12 metres).

Hire includes use of the adjacent kitchen.
The Main Hall can be hired on an hourly basis for Term-Time Groups
(eg Toddler groups, Dance, Keep Fit, After-School Activities etc) as
well for Children’s Parties (Thursday and Saturday afternoons
1-6pm) and also for one-off meetings.

If you have booked the Main Hall please enter via the Foyer.
There are adult trestle tables (x14) and chairs (100+) which are stored in the
corner of the main Hall which you can use. If you use the large tables please
ensure that after stacking them in the table trolley, that the safety cord is
put across the front of the tables to protect other users. There is a chair
trolley to help you move chairs about safely. We recommend that you do not
lift more than three stacked chairs at one time.
There are small children’s tables (x15) and small children’s chairs (x45)
Please also ensure that you do not block the fire exits with any tables or
chairs during your activity. Please make sure that soft shoes are worn for
activity games.
You may use the kitchen directly off the Main Hall, which includes some
crockery, hot water urn and kettle, cooker, microwave, fridge/freezer,
dishwasher and tea towels. There is a folder with instructions for all
the equipment next to the microwave.
Please do not leave left over food or drink in the fridge. Other people
do not use it.
You may have a small bouncy castle inside the main hall or on the lawn,
but please check with us first in case it is being used by the church
(see Church lawn note).

Toilet Facilities
There are Men’s and Ladies’ loos directly off the Main Foyer as well as a
Loo for Disabled People which includes baby-changing facilities.

John Bunyan Hall.

(45 sq metres).

Hire includes use of a small and very basic kitchen adjacent to it.
First Steps Nursery uses this hall during the day, so this hall is only
available for after-school (4pm++) or evening classes. The JB Hall can be
hired on an hourly basis for Term-Time Groups or for one-off meetings.

Please enter this hall via the covered walkway. You may use the kitchen
just off the John Bunyan Hall which includes a kettle, fridge and tea towels.
The enclosed courtyard garden at the rear is not available unless specially
agreed beforehand. There are loos available just off the main foyer
(including a disabled loo and baby changing facilities). The JB Hall
is used by First Steps Nursery every weekday. Please do not use the
Nursery toys and equipment stacked in the corner other than the tables
and chairs. Thank you.

Musa Room Lounge

This is a small carpeted room off the Main Foyer and is sometimes
available for small groups or meetings.

This room is generally for church use only, but occasionally may be used for
small meetings, however it is intended to be a lounge area and no food or
drinks should be taken into this room.

Hire Limitations

Anyone wanting to hire our halls is assessed first by the Halls
Management Committee. Regular hirers are asked to sign a contract of
hire, with strict terms and conditions.

Please note that we do not hire our Halls as follows:

No Sunday or Bank Holiday Hire.

No Wedding Receptions.

No other spiritual groups including yoga classes.

No other churches for services or teaching sessions.

No evening social events/parties.

No smoking or alcohol is allowed anywhere in the halls.

Hire Prices 2017

Term-time groups are charged by the hour. A First Hour rate is charged
with a cheaper follow-on hourly rate.
Different rates apply according to the type of activity and which
hall or room is hired. Please phone the church office to discuss this
(8852 1205).
Children’s Parties hire rates are as follows: Thursday
afternoons: £100 & Saturday afternoons: £130. This is for a whole session
ie 1-6pm.

Heating

There is new heating in the Main Hall consisting of 3 new heaters. Simply turn on the
heating when you arrive (takes on longer than 15 minutes to get to the desired temperature).
The controls for the heating are situated on the brick column inside the Main Hall by the
door nearest the kitchen. There are thermostats around the hall and these should only be set
to the FINAL room temperature that you require as they do not affect the heaters’ output,
only the desired room temperature.

There are wall heaters in the other halls which are also on an automatic timer.
If for some reason the heater is not on for your meeting, go into the carpeted
Musa Room and open cupboard 1 (the only unlocked cupboard). Here you will find
the heating control panels. Press the extra hour button on the JB Hall control
panel and the heating should come on. Repeat as necessary.

Church Lawn

Providing there is not a church service/event going on at the time of your
booking (please check with the church office first), the church lawn is available
to those who book the Main Hall (note: weddings get priority use of the lawn).
It should be noted that the lawn is not a secure place for children as there is
easy access to the street and that children will need to be closely supervised
at all times.

Clearing up and breakages

Please leave the halls clean and tidy and generally as you would wish to
find them. Our halls are very popular and although are cleaned daily,
there may be another booking directly after you. Cleaning materials
including a dustpan and brush may be found in the kitchen or toilet areas.
Please turn off any heaters and lights you have put on (the external lights
come on automatically from dusk to dawn) and make sure that all the windows
and doors are shut and locked. Please report any breakages.

Your Rubbish and Foxes

Please ensure you put all your rubbish in the bins in the drive outside
the halls. If possible please SORT YOUR RUBBISH into recycling and
non-recycling. There are two big red industrial bind outside the halls –
one marked “Recycling” and the other “mixed waste”. If these bins are full,
you can use the wheelie bins (Recycling bins a blue lid and General Waste
has a black lid, Food waste has a green lid). Please DO NOT leave any excess
rubbish next to the bin but take it home with you (whatever rubbish is
left out is always torn to shreds by the local foxes and then distributed
round the grounds - which is unpleasant for everyone). Please also take
down any balloon or streamers. We often have evening meetings where
these decorations are not appropriate.

Car Parking, Gates and Cator Estate Clamping

The church and its halls are on the private Cator Estate which employs
a clamping company 24hrs a day. Please ensure that everyone coming to
the party, parks in Pond Road (being careful not to park on the pavement)
AND that they display a parking notice (given to all hirers, plus more
are available from the Main Foyer).
There is limited space in the drive so only activity and party organisers
should park in the driveway behind the halls.
Please also note that the Cator Estate Residents close some of the gates
to the estate during rush hours (7.30-9.30am and 5-7pm) in order to
discourage “rat-running” and during these times it is only possible
to enter the estate via the Blackheath Park entrance.

Security

Please look after your valuables. We have a lot of “passing traffic”
and unfortunately there have been incidences of theft on the premises
while private events have been going on. This is your responsibility.

We hope you have an enjoyable event.
St Michael and All Angels Church Halls Committee